The present disclosure relates to print target data transfer systems and image forming apparatuses and particularly relates to a technique for delivering a document to another person being in a geographically and temporally different environment so that the other person can safely make a hard copy of the document.
In recent years, image forming apparatuses, such as printers and multifunction peripherals, are being connected to networks. Therefore, even if an image forming apparatus is in a remote location, print target data can be transferred to the image forming apparatus and output as a desired hard-copy document from it. However, in outputting a document on a remote image forming apparatus, the document is at risk of being seen or taken away by an unexpected third party. Particularly, in delivering a highly secret document to a particular person being in a remote location, it is problematic in terms of safety to simply send print target data to an image forming apparatus in a remote location and allow the image forming apparatus to perform print processing for the print target data.
In relation to printing of a classified document, for example, an image forming apparatus is known which, upon receipt of an external request to execute printing of the classified document, determines whether or not a source user of the request is in a remote location and, when the user is in a remote location, determines that the case applies to a condition for changing the requested printing to secret printing, and changes the requested printing to the secret printing. According to this known technique, the user can carry out secret printing without the need for any additional operation.